Ryan Nitzen | January 13, 2024
The second round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series has seen the checkered flags fly inside Oracle Park in San Francisco, California. Rains soaked the track all day and a shortened schedule saw some treacherous conditions but Dirt Wurx did their best to salvage the course.
At the end of the night, Chase Sexton and Jordon Smith took their respective wins and the championship leads.
The show goes on! Photos: Brown Dog Wilson
Main Event
450SX Main Event
Chase Sexton grabbed a perfect holeshot to take the control of the 450SX main event. Chaos ensued behind him, but the Red Bull KTM rider proceeded to lead every lap of the race en route to his first win of the series. Sexton held the top spot and fended off challenges from Tomac and lappers alike late in the race. He takes over the series lead with the red plate.
Sexton grabbed the crucial holeshot.
Eli Tomac fought up to second place for his first podium of the year. The number-three got close to Sexton late in the race but never within striking distance to make a pass. This podium is a big rebound from Tomac’s result last week and he’s now tied for third in points.
Chase Sexton led start to finish in the 450 main event.
Ken Roczen grabbed third in the main event after nearly taking the holeshot. Shortly after, he stalled the bike and fell back in the runnings. Later, Roczen found himself battling with Suzuki teammate Shane Mcelrath, and eventually got the best of the final podium position.
450 Podium.
Mcelrath ran third before finishing fourth behind Roczen.
Shane Mcelrath took fourth ahead of Aaron Plessinger in fifth. Jett Lawrence fell multiple times before finishing ninth.
Aaron Plessinger rounded out the top five.
450SX Main Event Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
Chase Sexton |
(KTM) |
12 Laps |
| 2. |
Eli Tomac |
(Yam) |
+07.459 |
| 3. |
Ken Roczen |
(Suz) |
+27.255 |
| 4. |
Shane Mcelrath |
(Suz) |
+44.774 |
| 5. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(KTM) |
+46.565 |
| 6. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Hon) |
+48.999 |
| 7. |
Jorge Prado |
(GG) |
+1:19.762 |
| 8. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
+1:42.537 |
| 9. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
11 Laps |
| 10. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
+07.104 |
250SX West Main Event
With torrential conditions for the 250 main event, the race was shortened to just 10-minutes plus one lap. Jordon Smith was the man of the hour, taking the holeshot and leading every lap of the race. His lead opened up to over 15-seconds at one point but it later came down to the wire as he barely beat second place by less than one second. He now carries the red plate into round three.
250 Start.
Levi Kitchen battled back to second place after a wet and wild main event. The second and third place positions jockeyed back and forth for the entire race but Kitchen managed to set the fastest lap as he cut down Smith’s lead. At the line, Kitchen was only 0.9 seconds back. This is his second podium in two weeks as he’s now second in overall points.
Jordon Smith stayed up and up front.
Garrett Marchbanks nabbed the final spot on the box. After a big tip over and multiple mistakes, the Yamaha rider passed his Club MX teammate Phil Nicoletti late in the race to steal the podium away. This is Marchbanks’ first podium since 2021 and he’s now fourth in the series points.
250 Podium.
RJ Hampshire ran up front in the early stages but fell and struggled to get going. He later went a lap down and finished ninth, dropping him to third in the championship.
Kitchen scored another podium in second.
Jo Shimoda and Max Vohland did not finish after mechanical issues early in the race.
Marchbanks made a late-race pass for third.
250SX West Main Event Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
Jordon Smith |
(Yam) |
8 Laps |
| 2. |
Levi Kitchen |
(Kaw) |
+00.913 |
| 3. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
+58.654 |
| 4. |
Phil Nicoletti |
(Yam) |
+1:06.386 |
| 5. |
Carson Mumford |
(Hon) |
+1:14.373 |
| 6. |
Anthony Bourdon |
(Suz) |
+1:17.611 |
| 7. |
Joshua Varize |
(GG) |
+1:22.732 |
| 8. |
Hunter Yoder |
(Kaw) |
+1:38.497 |
| 9. |
Rj Hampshire |
(Hus) |
7 Laps |
| 10. |
Mitchell Oldenburg |
(Hon) |
+28.729 |
Qualifying
Only one round of qualifiers took place today as the AMA made the decision to cancel the second session in hopes of fixing the track prior to the night show. Hopefully your favorite rider got a fast lap in or else they’re headed to the stands.
We’ll see the first mudder of the year at round two. Photos: Brown Dog Wilson
450SX
Aaron Plessinger seems to be a favorite in poor conditions and he came out swinging with the fastest lap in the first qualifier. Lucky for him, that time stuck and he leads the riders into the night show. Plessinger’s KTM teammate, Chase Sexton was two tenths back in second. Hunter Lawrence clocked third and looks to put himself in good contention for tonight.
Aaron Plessinger logged the best lap in the one and only timed qualifier. Photo: Brown Dog Wilson
Sexton was second behind KTM teammate, Plessinger.
450SX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(KTM) |
1:09.128 |
| 2. |
Chase Sexton |
(KTM) |
1:09.337 |
| 3. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1:09.502 |
| 4. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1:10.123 |
| 5. |
Cooper Webb |
(Yam) |
1:10.884 |
| 6. |
Ken Roczen |
(Suz) |
1:11.064 |
| 7. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
1:11.422 |
| 8. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
1:12.074 |
| 9. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Hus) |
1:12.271 |
| 10. |
Eli Tomac |
(Yam) |
1:12.448 |
250SX West
RJ Hampshire carried his red plate to the top spot in qualifying despite a crash that put him over the bars. Max Sanford put in a great lap in the B practice to qualify second, with Nate Thrasher just behind in third. All but five riders made it directly into the show.
250SX West Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
RJ Hampshire |
(Hus) |
1:06.054 |
| 2. |
Max Sanford |
(Hon) |
1:06.236 |
| 3. |
Nate Thrasher |
(Yam) |
1:06.607 |
| 4. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
1:06.901 |
| 5. |
Matti Jorgensen |
(GG) |
1:07.281 |
| 6. |
Mitchell Oldenburg |
(Hon) |
1:07.380 |
| 7. |
Carson Mumford |
(Hon) |
1:07.824 |
| 8. |
Geran Stapleton |
(Kaw) |
1:07.859 |
| 9. |
Levi Kitchen |
(Kaw) |
1:07.969 |
| 10. |
Jordon Smith |
(Yam) |
1:08.525 |
